Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K Hamilton

Title: Swallowing DarknessSeries: Merry GentryAuthor: Laurell K HamiltonGenre: Dark romantic fantasy (also known as the "sexy pentacle tattoo" genre)Pages: 365Copyright Date: 2008Cover: Black, with pink and silver test. The graphic in the center shows a nude male torso, whose hands hold a crown of thorns.First Line: "Hospitals are where people go to be saved, but the doctors can only patch you up, put you back together. They can't undo the damage."Best part: There was more plot, and more cohesive plot, than in the last few installments.Worst part: Just how chosen can one woman be? Oh, pardon me - one half-mortal, half-faerie creature?Grade: C+Recommended for: Fans of the series. Anyone who hasn't read the series would be very confused.

Merry is still pregnant with two babies with three fathers each. Frost is still dead. She and her remaining guards and allies must face even more dangers, channel even more ancient mystical forces, and find even more people who desperately need to be fucked, healed, or awakened to sacred powers. In other words, the series continues.

The series is Faerie porn. You know that, right? Good. Well, this Faerie porn gets a little more plot-involved than the previous few, which was a relief. (Yes, Ms. Hamilton, you like threesomes. We get the idea.) Things happen without sex in this one, and I liked that a lot. It does something to make up for the deep fluffiness of the past few books. There's still sex in it, but only a few times, and always in a way that advances the plot. Again, very pleasing. C+.